Kyle Mcneil’s Bloghttps://kylemcneil.wordpress.com
Just another WordPress.com weblogSun, 20 May 2018 10:31:31 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/1117fc7212a78b4e5c4485df55aee1b7?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fs0.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngKyle Mcneil’s Bloghttps://kylemcneil.wordpress.com
Life is Calling … Only You Can Answerhttps://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/life-is-calling-only-you-can-answer/
https://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/life-is-calling-only-you-can-answer/#commentsThu, 08 Apr 2010 21:40:15 +0000http://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/?p=267What happens when what you feel is SO INTENSE that you can’t dismiss it? It’s so powerful; if you ignore it, the noise only becomes louder …

A friend of mine is going through this. Life is calling her, more and MORE everyday. She shuffles through all the possibilities. Overwhelmed by the options. Excited by the prospect of something new. Considering living in other countries. Aware that “running from her problems” won’t solve them. Although in her mid twenties, she is calling it a “mid life crisis” (although humorous, she’s not joking – it’s real for her). As this noise gets louder, it drowning out the opinions of others & her own logical mind. She’s now tapping into something bigger then her. Although scary & unfamiliar grounds, it’s the gateway to a life of possibility!

After all “new inputs = new outputs”.

(Maybe this is true for you too …)

As someone who is familiar with this process … it seems others turn down this voice, not believing in their worth as a human-being or simply saying “next time”. This friend however is fortunate, she’s listening to it. With commitment, great reward can come for her, more then she even knows. Some might say the “fruits of life”. If you’ve seen or read “The Secret”, it’s like that, but real life, not some mystical thing.

For me, finding & honouring this voice is the very reason I’m committed to being more everyday. Also why I strive to be more open & authentic on my blog every entry (scary as it is sometimes). The voice is the most powerful “thing” I’ve ever found; it’s all inside me. Just like your voice is inside you … it’s not in your friends, family, coaches, teachers … anyone else, although they might help you find it. It’s 100% in you.

Finding your voice —> where to start?

As mentioned above, your voice is 100% in you, which means yes … it starts & ends with you. Here are some questions to consider …

Why are you here?

What draws passion out of you?

What do you want out of life?

(take some time to be with these questions … the answers may be elusive, but they’re very valuable)

* Tip: look at times in your life where you’ve “swam downstream”, where things happened easily. Life doesn’t need to be hard, that’s something we create.

Here’s what’s true for me …

“A large part of my “why” is fueled by the loss of my father, in addition to a deepening appreciation for life. It’s through this experience, I know life is to short to chase some “dream” unconsciously thinking it’s my passion (something I have done), when it’s more truly the passion of some author or speaker.

Consciously choosing my path is the most rewarding way to live. I can either float around aimlessly in the ocean, associating with “good people” and “cool things” or board the ship-liner of my journey & go for it!”

We’re only scratching the surface of what’s possible. Our potential to be powerful, open & responsible in our life & support others is left mostly untapped. Ego runs rampant in the world. We blame others, trapped as victims, not realizing we have the capacity to change our life experience, which will domino positively into the life of others. All the potential in this world is latent inside you & me. It’s waiting …

Consider this … you’re one of 6 billion people who’ve been selected to walk the face of this earth, for somewhere between 50-100 years. That’s phenomenal! Someday you will be a part of history. How will you reflect on your life? How will others speak of you?

Will it be in awe & gratitude for what you’ve done, & who you’ve been?

It’s 100% possible, in fact you may already be on that path. Ultimately you know best … that voice will speak

What if you could start this journey today, would you?

I hope so. You deserve it & it’s available!

Email me kyle@kylemcneil.com if you’re looking for guidance on this or simply want to discuss.

All the best,

Kyle

PS – “The DNA of Success” is a great book to consider reading. Zufelt says: “when you’ve found your core purpose, you’ll climb mountains & swim rivers to achieve your goal”. 15 months ago I wasn’t anywhere near this place. It was an incredibly trying time, so lost & nowhere near my purpose. This awareness though, was the first step towards change & ultimately a much more fulfilling life experience. After all isn’t that the point? To LIVE life …

Your intention, motives, and purpose really define who you are. It’s not whether you’re Santana or Smith or Jones, or whether you’re Mexican or Hebrew or Catholic or Buddhist. I don’t think God and the angels see any of that stuff. They just see your intention, your motives, and your purpose. And once those three are crystallized and sharpened and are tuned into something, things open up for you – supreme synchronicity and blessings, opportunities, possibilities.

Everyone is destined to prosperity, to progress, and the keys that humans need to find are intention, motives, and
purpose, because that is who you really, really are. I’m surprised they don’t teach those three things in school. That’s the gasoline that you need to take you to the next destination, not all the other stuff. The other stuff is just dust. But for me, what I’m learning more and more is that those three things-intention, motives, and purpose-really define who you are.

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For your chance to provide feedback on the future of Alberta’s education check out this blog. Thanks to John Su for letting me know about this.

Just a day earlier I came across some old notes I’d taken at a course … one note said “the time in my life I was the most fearless, was when I played hockey”. Hearing Paul & coming across this note … two things merged for me.

All of a sudden “work” just became even more fun. Sport is fun. Also being fearless – living on the edge, that’s when life is the richest.

My dad fought cancer for over 2 years. Cancer of the esophagus. As the months closed, so did his throat & his ability to take on food. The last weeks were painful. At one point he said to me “every moment bleeds into the next” … he never said it explicitly, but I could tell it was hell. Very much.

He used to be 240 lbs; died at around 150 (at best). I said good bye to his physical body, the day after he passed. First with my mom & brother as a family. Then one last trek in to say goodbye to my father. The hardest moment of my entire life to this point. As I once again feel the agony of the experience – I close in saying, thank you for your friendship & sharing in this opportunity we call life.

Kyle

—

In the last 30 days, here are some things that are real for me …

1) It’s said “when the WHY is strong enough the HOW will show itself”. The passion inside to really “go for it” in life – the WHY, is stronger then ever for me. As Dr David Wolf tells, living with a sense of “urgency”, is the idea that “every moment counts”. David lost his mother in early February, making the theme of urgency relevant for him as well.

2) People are inherently well intentioned, even through layers of advice, like “stay strong” and “he’s in a better place now”. Tip: 80% of people have some type of advice around death – on the whole, as survivor it’s quite relentless … 5-10 ppl/day with advice is difficult to deal with. Please consider the power of this “The First Duty of Love is to Listen”.

* Note: the tone in the linked blog post, is considerably stronger then the message here. Different circumstance. So it’s clear I am grateful for all the support. Also I’m aware, death isn’t an easy thing to handle, regardless of proximity. Goal here is to be honest & shed “light” on the experience & topic … maybe to help others in the future.

3) Further to that, having great friendships really showed its worth – thank you to these countless people!

Enjoy your day & the moment,

Kyle

PS – the message isn’t necessarily “don’t give advice” … more so to consider reducing “it” especially around times of extreme hardship.

]]>https://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/03/10/30-days-after-dads-life-closed/feed/15kylemcneilFear … Leading the Wayhttps://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/fear-leading-the-way/
https://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/fear-leading-the-way/#respondThu, 25 Feb 2010 21:26:47 +0000http://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/?p=248Fear is a friend of mine … it points me in the right direction.

Into the fear, that’s the path … the one that holds the greatest lessons & tastiest fruit. For many months my fear has frustrated me, until today. This morning over breakfast, I thought … why not become “friends” with my fear?

Be thankful … afterall it’s only present in my life to guide …

Is this the same for you?

Kyle

]]>https://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/fear-leading-the-way/feed/0kylemcneilOne Prisoner; One Guard … Same Guyhttps://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/one-prisoner-1-guard/
https://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/one-prisoner-1-guard/#commentsTue, 09 Feb 2010 15:45:36 +0000http://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/?p=24110’s upon 100’s of jail cells … all around me. One specifically to my right, seems like it could be mine, however I’m not inside it. Where I stand is the hallway of an entire prison. Looking down the prison there is no one else …

Who created this prison?

The answer is – me & my mind … the only prisoner & the only guard.

As I sit in this realization, the prison starts lifting off the ground. Very much depicting the process I’m in. Shifting my habits, thoughts & ultimately life. Living for what I want, not what I “should do” or be.

… the prison rises about 3-4 feet above the ground, clunking to a stop. Chains holding it in place, taking it no further. It’s not ready to float away & vanish. There’s 26 years of comfort here! … even in the realization of the pain, that this prison MUST go.

A few days after this realization … the quote below came through my email …

Spiritual Healing is not just becoming free from pain, it is realizing that you were never really trapped. ~ James Keeley

–

Do you live in a self created prison?

The more I share this story, the more it seems to be relevant for others. And on a lighter note … when writing this blog, Creed’s song “My Own Prison” came to mind. The final lyrics ringing out so clearly. “I created, I created, I created, I created my own prison”.

Kyle

PS – If you have further pull towards this topic, feel free to tune in around the 37 minute mark on the Satvatove Radio Show. The caller will be familiar. And in line with a previous blog around “The Age of Authenticity“, I’m taking a leap of faith … to live what I believe. Be the change right … don’t just blog about it.

]]>https://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/one-prisoner-1-guard/feed/1kylemcneilSelf Serving or Truly Serving??https://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/self-serving-or-truly-serving/
https://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/self-serving-or-truly-serving/#commentsMon, 01 Feb 2010 05:35:19 +0000http://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/?p=231Over coffee yesterday morning Stephen Lau asked my motive for wanting to meet (a fair question, since it was the first time we’d had a “meeting”). My answer was in the line of: “exploring ways we can collaborate/support one another”.

In the Joint Venture world, we call this creating “overlap”. In other words, mutual interest in reciprocal success.As conversation evolved Stephen talked about “service above self” & how integral this paradigm is towards the partnerships & agreements he *does* enter.

And you know what??!! As my entrepreneurial path evolves, this comes up so much!! Successful business people are VERY conscious about avoiding the “self-server” & instead work with the responsible and capable team player.

“It is great to ‘serve’ others, when they want to be ‘served.’ Adding value (serving) doesn’t necessarily mean a product or service…but rather, value can be just knowing that you are there to support and empathize, whenever they need it”.

With this in mind, 2 short days ago this popped up in a book …

I sought my God and my God I could not find.

I sought my soul and my soul eluded me.

I sought my brother to serve him in his need,

and I found all three — my God, my soul & thee.

– Anonymous

Think back to a time when you shared something deep, something meaningful and it really impacted someone. How did that feel??

“Leadership is recognizing that we are all ONE. That every person you lead is as brilliant as you, as talented as you, and has the same capacity for growth and accomplishment. They simply need to be reminded of this fact.”

]]>https://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/lead-bc-we-are-all-one/feed/0kylemcneilGive to Nothing or Great??https://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/01/24/give-to-nothing-or-great/
https://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/01/24/give-to-nothing-or-great/#commentsSun, 24 Jan 2010 22:26:54 +0000http://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/?p=219Sometimes I see a quote and it blows my “doors off” … found this one in Stephen Covey’s “The 8th Habit”:

“I know this now. Every man gives his life to what he believes. Every woman gives her life for what she believes. Some people believe in little or nothing, and so they give their lives to little or nothing …”

– Joan of Arc

It’s painful knowing people give their energies to nothing … seems to be an awful waste (my sense is they feel the “waste” too … and it’s also hurting them). Thankfully there are people as one of my friends would say who are “fighting the good fight”. And there are many – all over the place.

Even those who are lost, they’re seeking answers … it’s our job to inspire & support them. After all …

“Nothing great has ever been done alone”

– Rod Woodson

Something to ponder …

Kyle

]]>https://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2010/01/24/give-to-nothing-or-great/feed/2kylemcneilTHE PARADOX OF OUR TIMEhttps://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2009/12/17/the-paradox-of-our-time/
https://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/2009/12/17/the-paradox-of-our-time/#respondThu, 17 Dec 2009 17:30:34 +0000http://kylemcneil.wordpress.com/?p=215Found in Miles Patrick Yohnke’s newsletter & used with permission from him

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.

We've conquered outer space, but not inner space.

We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.

We've split the atom, but not our prejudice.

We write more, but learn less.

We plan more, but accomplish less.

We've learned to rush, but not to wait.

We build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, and short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships.

These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw-away morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer to quiet, to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom; a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.